Armed Forces Covenant

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the armed forces covenant includes soldiers and veterans from Northern Ireland.

Mark Francois: holding answer 22 October 2012
	The Armed Forces Covenant extends to members of the armed forces community wherever they originate and wherever they live in the United Kingdom.

Armed Forces: Courts Martial

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many defendants of each rank and in each service in courts martial pleaded (a) not guilty, (b) guilty, (c) not guilty and were convicted, (d) not guilty, were convicted and subsequently appealed to the Court Martial Appeal Court, (e) not guilty, were convicted, subsequently appealed to the Court Martial Appeal Court and were acquitted and (f) not guilty, were convicted, subsequently appealed to the Court Martial Appeal Court and had their sentence reduced in each year between 2000 and 2011; and what the case names of neutral citation references were in cases where the Court Martial Appeal Court acquitted or reduced a sentence.

Mark Francois: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Smallpox

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many armed forces personnel are vaccinated against smallpox;
	(2)  how many Defence Medical Service personnel are vaccinated against smallpox.

Mark Francois: A small number of armed forces and Defence Medical Services personnel are vaccinated against smallpox. However the precise figures are not released into the public domain as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Defence Technology Centres

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding his Department gave to each defence technology centre in each of the last five years.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) placed contracts for four Defence Technology Centres (DTCs): Defence Information Fusion (DIF) DTC, which expired in March 2009, Electromagnetic Remote Sensing (EMRS) DTC, which expired in May 2010, Human Factors Integration (HFI) DTC, which expired in March 2012, and Systems Engineering for Autonomous Systems (SEAS) DTC, which expired in March 2012. The MOD's annual spend on each DTC contract over the last five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 DTC 
			  £ million (Exclusive of VAT at current prices) 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 DIF 5.0 4.9 — — — 
			 EMRS 5.9 5.0 5.4 — — 
			 HFI 3.1 2.8 3.3 2.5 3.6 
			 SEAS 6.2 5.2 5.0 3.8 1.8

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which other countries were involved in the (a) procurement process and (b) purchase of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Philip Dunne: The partner nations involved in the procurement and purchase of Joint Strike Fighter are USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands and Turkey.

Territorial Army

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the average age of the reserve forces by encouraging younger people to join the Territorial Army.

Mark Francois: The Territorial Army (TA) currently recruits officers and soldiers from the age of 18. There are no specific plans to reduce the average age of those currently serving in the TA but the TA are currently recruiting to achieve the manning required for them to become an integrated part of the Army under the Army 2020 plans. The TA offers interesting and challenging opportunities for a wide range of individuals; applications from young adults are encouraged.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 September 2012, Official Report, column 418W, in which I stated the Army intends to spend £5 million in financial year (FY) 2012-13 on the TA recruiting campaign and are now drawing up plans for the marketing campaigns in FY 2013-14.
	Current incentives for younger people include the Officer Training Corps which is part of the TA and whose purpose is to develop the leadership potential of university students, raising awareness of the Army and building interest in its career opportunities without obligation.

Anti-slavery Day

Peter Bone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps the Government is taking to promote anti-slavery day.

Mark Harper: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	Ministers from the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on human trafficking, including myself, undertook a range of activities to raise awareness of this important issue.

Housing: Construction

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2012, Official Report, column 304W, on housing: construction, what questions Glenigan ask of developers (a) to ascertain the commercial unviability of sites and (b) in respect of the effect on viability of affordable housing requirements.

Mark Prisk: Glenigan Researchers contact developers about individual sites with planning permission and ask ‘is the site going ahead', if the response is ‘no' they are asked 'why' and the individual response is then recorded in free text.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of planning decisions made by each planning authority in England have been overturned on appeal in each of the last 10 years.

Nicholas Boles: The proportion of planning decisions overturned on appeal is not centrally available.
	The Planning Inspectorate publish information on the number of appeals by local authority, including the proportion that have been allowed. This can be found at:
	http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/planninginspectorate/statistics

Digital Broadcasting

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what measures she is taking to promote the development and use of (a) international and (b) national digital television standards in the UK's digital industries.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 24 October 2012
	The Government continues to maintain direct links with the formal standards bodies that cover television standards, i.e. the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and we also maintain an ongoing engagement with the Digital Television Group (DTG), Intellect and UK broadcasters. This enables us to maintain our visibility of future television technology and standardisation developments and provides the assurance that European and international television standardisation efforts remain linked and relevant to the UK market.

Music: Tickets

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether she plans to review the regulation of the ticket resale market for music and other popular cultural events to ensure a supply of reasonably priced tickets to customers.

Hugh Robertson: The Government has no plans to regulate the ticketing market. We will, however, continue to monitor this area, and, if new evidence comes forward of severe market failures that need addressing, we will review this position.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether vehicle testing is regarded as a sovereign matter by the European Union.

Stephen Hammond: The European Commission in proposing a regulation about roadworthiness tests states that ‘Roadworthiness is a sovereign activity’. The Commission proposes a regulation because it considers the implementation by member states of technical requirements set at an EU level has led to a high diversity in requirements with negative impacts both on road safety and the internal market.
	The HoC Scrutiny Committee have referred the proposed legislation for a debate on a Reasoned Opinion which questions the justification by the EC for this approach in respect of competence to act at a supranational level.
	The Department intends to challenge strongly any provisions that imply costs for Government, the public or industry.

Motorcycles

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the possible effect on jobs in small and medium-sized enterprises which produce motorcycle parts and accessories due to proposals at EU-level for legislation on anti-tampering for motorcycles.

Stephen Hammond: There are no plans to make a separate assessment of the possible effect on jobs. However, an impact assessment of the EU regulation, including anti-tampering measures, was carried out to support negotiations on the new regulation, and this included a small firms impact test.
	The impact assessment is available on the DFT website and can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-26/

Motorcycles: Driving Tests

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorcycle driving instructors and trainers he estimates were operating in (a) August 2008 and (b) August 2012.

Stephen Hammond: No data is available for the number of motorcycle instructors in 2008. In October 2009, 2,675 certificates were held by motorcycling instructors delivering compulsory basic training and direct access training.
	Since April 2011, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has published official statistics on the Department for Transport (DFT) website about the number of certificates issued to motorcycling instructors delivering compulsory basic training and direct access training. These figures are produced quarterly and in June 2012 there were 2,849 certificates held.
	Other types of motorcycling instruction such as pre-test training are unregulated and no data is held about the number of instructors operating in those sectors.

Police and Crime Commissioners

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the likely level of turnout for the election on 15 November 2012 for police and crime commissioners.

Damian Green: The Government will not be making an estimate of the likely level of turnout for the elections.
	However, every household will receive information about the elections from the Electoral Commission, and candidates will of course circulate information themselves. The Home Office has also launched an advertising campaign, including TV and radio, which we estimate will reach 85% of voters across the 41 forces to explain the reforms and encourage participation in the elections.
	The Government wants and will encourage everyone to have their say, and is confident that, come 15 November, the public will not only be aware of the elections, but also have the information they need to make informed choices.

Aerospace Industry: Investment

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what fiscal steps his Department is taking to assist the UK aerospace industry to invest in emerging technologies;
	(2)  what fiscal steps his Department is taking to encourage long-term investment in the UK aerospace industry.

Danny Alexander: The Government has taken fiscal measures to support the UK's position as a global leader in aerospace. Budget 2012 announced £60 million for the creation of a UK centre for aerodynamics to support research and innovation in aerospace technology. At the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2012, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills announced details of how that funding will be used, alongside £120 million of new investment from government and industry in aerospace research and technology.
	The industry is also able to bid for support from wider funds such as the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain initiative and the Regional Growth Fund. In addition, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre, bringing together seven institutions of excellence to better support UK manufacturing and assist UK businesses to innovate and. bring new cutting edge commercial products to market, is expected to benefit companies in the aerospace sector.
	More generally, the aerospace sector will benefit from the Government's policies to create the most competitive tax system in the G20 and a more educated work force that is the most flexible in Europe.

Employee Ownership Scheme

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer during the financial year 2017-18 of the employee ownership scheme announced on 8 October 2012; what estimate he has made of the cumulative cost of the scheme by April 2018; and what estimate he has made of (a) the likely sums foregone in capital gains tax revenue and (b) the likely other costs of the scheme to the public purse in each case.

David Gauke: The Government expects that the scheme could cost up to approximately £100 million in 2017-18 in foregone capital gains tax receipts due to employees taking, up the new employee owner status.
	This initial estimate will be refined following the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consultation on the implementation of the new employee owner status during which the Government will engage with employers and employees to explore the likely impacts and take-up of the status in more detail. This consultation opened on 18 October and closes on 8 November. An annual breakdown of the estimated Exchequer cost of the policy will then be published at the autumn statement on 5 December 2012.

Infrastructure

Esther McVey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to monitor and ensure the implementation of the National Infrastructure Project after 2015;
	(2)  what plans he has for reinvestment of the infrastructure efficiency saving;
	(3)  what advice his Department has issued to local authorities on funding of investment in local infrastructure;
	(4)  what advice his Department provides to public bodies on sources of finance for infrastructure projects.

Danny Alexander: The National Infrastructure Plan sets out a pipeline of-planned investment in UK infrastructure including over 500 projects and the programmes, worth over £250 billion to 2015 and beyond. The infrastructure investment pipeline data will be refreshed annually. In order to deliver the most significant infrastructure projects on time and as efficiently as possible, I chair a Cabinet Sub-Committee on infrastructure to ensure that ail Departments play their part in tackling delays and addressing key issues. An update on progress was published alongside this year's Budget and the Treasury will be publishing a further progress update around the time of the autumn statement.
	The Government is working with industry to put in place mechanisms through which real reductions in the costs of delivering infrastructure can be achieved and sustained—to enable taxpayers and utility bill payers to get more for less. Efficiency savings have been planned for in Government Departments' budgets, and further savings made beyond this are generally reallocated with Departments.
	Ultimately, local authorities are autonomous bodies that make their own investment decisions. However, the Government is committed to supporting private sector investment in local infrastructure and wider economic development. For instance, the Growing Places Fund will provide £730 million to Local Enterprise Partnerships and £150 million has been allocated to support three Tax Increment Financing Type 2 projects. The Government has provided stronger incentives for infrastructure investment though the ‘City Deals' process and through the introduction of 24 new Enterprise Zones across the country. Furthermore, the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allows local authorities to charge on new developments in their area to help fund infrastructure.
	Infrastructure UK, a unit within HM Treasury, provides finance and commercial expertise to the wider Treasury and other public organisations, in support of the delivery of major infrastructure projects where there is capital investment from the public sector. Local Partnerships, a joint venture between the Local Government Association and HM Treasury, provides commercial expertise and for local public bodies, including local authorities.

National Loan Guarantee Scheme: Scotland

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many applications the Scottish Government has made under the UK Guarantees Scheme for loans, guarantees, repairs, operation costs or any other kind of financial assistance in relation to capital or public investment projects in the current financial year;
	(2)  what specific schemes under the National Infrastructure Plan 2011 will apply to Scotland; and what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on funding such schemes.

Danny Alexander: The UK Guarantee Scheme uses the strength of the UK balance sheet to help secure the required finance for crucial infrastructure projects across the UK, including eligible projects in Scotland.
	Any projects which are listed in the National Infrastructure Plan 2011 are eligible to apply against the published criteria, including those projects which are based in Scotland.
	Private sector project sponsors can apply to the UK Guarantee Scheme directly. In the case of public sector infrastructure projects then the project sponsor should initially apply to the sponsor authority. Officials are working closely with the Scottish Government to identify those public sector projects that could be eligible to apply for the UK Guarantee Scheme.

Public Service Pensions Bill: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on a legislative consent motion for the Public Service Pension Bill;
	(2)  whether the Public Service Pensions Bill will require a legislative consent motion in the Scottish Parliament.

Danny Alexander: The Public Service Pensions Bill contains provisions that trigger the Sewel convention in Scotland.
	The Government has sought “in principle” agreement from Scottish Ministers to seek a legislative consent motion for these provisions.

Tax Incentives: Natural Gas

Dan Byles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the tax incentive for the production of shale gas which was announced in Birmingham on 8 October 2012 will apply (a) only to shale gas or (b) to other unconventional gas sources such as Coal Bed Methane.

Sajid Javid: The Government announced on 8 October that it will be engaging with industry on an appropriately targeted tax regime for shale gas. The Government would consider the implications of any future changes to the oil and gas fiscal regime in the round, in the context of its overall objective of maximising the economic recovery of UK hydrocarbons while ensuring a fair return for the Exchequer.

Single European Act

George Eustice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether steps were taken by his Department to investigate allegations made in the book by Peter Schweizer entitled Friendly Spies, published in 1993, that a British diplomat briefed the French Directorate General for External Security on internal discussions within his Department on the UK's negotiating position prior to the signing of the Single European Act and the Brussels Summit of June 1987.

David Lidington: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested as the historical nature of the details required demands research into 27 year old archives.

Renewable Energy: Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the (a) number of exhaust air source heat pumps that have been installed in the UK, (b) total level of public subsidy that has been given for exhaust air source heat pumps to date and (c) number of such installations likely to be removed due to excess cost to the householder.

Gregory Barker: The Department does not collect or hold information on the number of exhaust air heat pumps (EAHP) installed in the UK. EAHP are not subsidized through the renewable heat incentive, as it is not a renewable technology. One of the conditions of funding for affordable housing is to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH). Small scale low carbon technologies such as EAHP may be used to help meet parts of the code. However, there is now less reliance on such technology because of the more frequent use of the building fabric—the walls, roof and windows—to meet the code.
	Affordable housing delivery is administered by the Homes and Communities Agency on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government, neither of whom collect information on the number of EAHPs installed or those that benefit from Government funding.

Renewable Energy: Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the number of ground source heat pumps in the UK which receive the renewable heat incentive subsidy.

Gregory Barker: Ofgem is responsible for administering the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme on behalf of DECC and publishes data on the number of renewable heat installations which have been accredited into the scheme. This can be found at the following link:
	https://rhi.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ExternalReportDetail.aspx?RP=RHIPublicReport
	This data is updated on a daily basis. As of 23 October 2012, 19 ground source heat pumps had been accredited into the scheme.

Email

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he continues to use a private email account for Government business; and whether civil servants in his Department have access to that account in order to allow them to fulfil requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 22 October 2012
	The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), uses equipment supplied by the Department and his own IT equipment as appropriate, depending on his location and circumstances. Where information is generated in the course of conducting Government business, it is stored on departmental systems.

Email: Freedom of Information

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to his answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 399W, on email, what the cost was of the legal advice his Department has taken in respect of claims relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 request for emails about official business sent from non-departmental accounts from September 2011 to date.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 11 June 2012
	The Department has spent a total of £12,539.50 on legal advice and litigation services. This includes advice relating to the application of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to non-departmental email accounts and the handling of appeal EA/2012/0072.

David Laws

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) civil servants in his Department and (b) military personnel will be tasked to assist the Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, the Rt hon. Member for Yeovil, in his review of the options for replacing the UK nuclear deterrent.

Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply 
	as the Minister responsible for the Trident Alternatives Review.
	The review continues to be led by officials in the Cabinet Office, consulting relevant military and civilian experts in the Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and other Departments on an as-required basis. The number of experts in each Department varies with the different stages of work and the type of expertise required.

Eyesight: Testing

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take further steps to encourage the uptake of regular sight tests for hard to reach communities and minority ethnic groups in (a) Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The Government recognises that regular sight tests are an important measure in preventing avoidable sight loss.
	Free national health service sight tests are available to many, including children, people aged 60 and over, people on benefits and those people at particular risk of developing eye disease. The uptake of NHS sight tests is increasing. In 2011-12, there were 12.3 million NHS sight tests, an increase of 367,000 (3.1%) compared with the previous year.
	Information about the extensive arrangements for providing help with NHS optical services and other health costs is published in leaflet HC11 “Are you entitled to help with health costs?”
	It is for local health commissioners, taking into account the needs of the communities they serve, to make decisions about local strategies for promoting eye health. From April 2013 local authorities will have a greater role to play in public health. The Public Health Outcomes Framework includes an indicator on avoidable sight loss.
	The new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies will provide a vehicle for local communities to plan action to meet identified needs, including eye health.
	The Department has worked, and continues to work with NHS Choices on the development of articles and videos to raise the profile of visual health and promote the importance of regular sight tests.

Health Services: Armed Forces

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many serving members of the Army have been treated by the NHS for each category of illness in each of the last five years.

Mark Francois: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
	Primary and intermediate health care for serving members of the Army, wherever they are based in the world, is normally delivered via a combination of Army and Defence primary health care organisations. These provide military general practice, general dentistry, specialist occupational health services, rehabilitation and community mental health.
	There may, however, be occasions when Army personnel access the NHS for some services such as out of hours treatment and NHS general practitioners as temporary patients. This generally arises when personnel are staying at another location away from their unit. Within the UK, all secondary hospital based care is also accessed via the NHS.
	Information relating to the number of Army personnel treated by the NHS over the last five years is not currently held by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). However, this should change from April 2013 when, under the NHS Commissioning Rules, the MOD will be provided with data about the services armed forces personnel have accessed.

Business Links

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the budget for the Business Link website was in 2011-12; and what that budget is in 2012-13.

Michael Fallon: The Department is not responsible for the budget for the Business Link website as this falls to HM Customs and Revenue. However, I can confirm that the budget for the Business Link website for 2011-12 was £26.746 million and for 2012-13 is £4.728 million. The lower amount for 2012-13 is as a result of the closure of the Business Link website on the 17 October 2012 when it was replaced by the new single domain for government:
	www.gov.uk

Conditions of Employment

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the potential effects on growth and levels of labour market participation in the first two years following the introduction of his Department's proposals to permit staff to forfeit employment rights in respect of (a) unfair dismissal, (b) flexible working and (c) flexible dates of return from maternity leave in exchange for shares in the company for which they work.

Jo Swinson: The Government is currently carrying out a consultation on the proposed new ‘employee owner’ employment status. As part of the consultation, we are seeking views on how we can implement the new status and its likely impacts including on growth and levels of labour market participation, employee engagement and labour market flexibility.
	The consultation closes on 8 November.

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will commission further evidence-gathering to monetise the potential effects of the repeal of section 52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Jo Swinson: The Government has no plans to commission further evidence gathering on this issue. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 October 2012, Official Report, column 852W, for information.

Employee Ownership Scheme

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the employee ownership scheme he announced on 8 October 2012, whether the employee ownership shares will be treated as employee related securities as defined under the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	It is anticipated that shares issued under the employee owner status will be employment related securities as defined in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
	A Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consultation on the implementation of the new status opened on 18 October and will close on 8 November 2012. The consultation document is published on the BIS website and contains further information on the Government's proposals.

Higher Education: Mental Health Services

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department gives to universities to assist students with mental health issues.

David Willetts: Universities have duties under the Equality Act 2010 (which incorporated the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995) to support disabled students in higher education, including those with mental health conditions. Higher education institutions have clear duties and responsibilities with regard to ensuring that disabled students do not face discrimination or less favourable treatment while applying to, and studying in, higher education. However, the detailed decisions of how an institution will comply with legislation and, more broadly, support disabled students will be determined by the institution itself within the requirements of the law.
	The Government provide financial support to disabled students in higher education (HE). They are supported via (i) the institution they attend and (ii) individually through disabled students' allowances (DSAs).
	The Government provide funding to HE institutions, through the Higher Education Funding Council for England, to help them recruit and support disabled students; £13 million has been provided in academic year 2012/13.
	In addition, the Government also provide direct support to disabled students through disabled students' allowances (DSAs). In England, £87.8 million was spent on providing DSAs to 41,700 students in 2009/10. DSAs can help pay the extra costs a student may incur because of a disability when undertaking a course of higher education. DSAs are provided in addition to the standard student support package, are not income-assessed, and do not have to be repaid.
	The Government has established a new framework with increased responsibility placed on universities to widen participation. This includes arrangements for new annual access agreements from higher education institutions which wish to charge above the basic amounts for tuition, £6,000, to demonstrate what more they will do to attract students from under-represented and disadvantaged groups. In 2012/13 and 2013/14, 86 higher education institutions have milestones in their access agreements relating to disability (around 55% of all institutions).
	There is guidance available to universities on supporting students and staff with mental health conditions from a range of sector and medical bodies, including the Heads of University Counselling Services, the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education (AMOSSHE), the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the former Disability Rights Commission and most recently from the Universities UK/Guild HE Working Group for the Promotion of Mental Well-Being in Higher Education.

Water

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the High Level Group on Water last met; when it will next meet; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The High Level Group on the Implementation of Market Reform in the water sector first met on 7 September and is due to meet next in November. The group has agreed to meet every six to eight weeks. The note of the first meeting is available on the Ofwat website.
	The group draws representation from the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments, Ofwat, the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland, the water and sewerage industry and customers to support the UK Government in delivery of the market reform proposals set out in the draft Water Bill.

Water Companies

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will commission a study to compare the performance of UK water companies with their publicly-owned European counterparts.

Richard Benyon: Since privatisation in 1989, the stable regulatory framework for the water sector has enabled companies to attract over £108 billion in low cost investment to upgrade water and sewerage infrastructure, improve customer service and environmental standards.
	The evidence shows that charges and standards are broadly consistent across Europe. There are no plans for a comparative study.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many companies have employed young people through the wage subsidy incentive in the Youth Contract since its inception.

Mark Hoban: The Youth Contract, including wage incentives, went live on April 2012. From this point any young person attached to the Work programme could be placed into work with a wage incentive being offered to the employer.
	From late July 2012, in selected “youth unemployment hotspots”, wage incentives became available via Jobcentre Plus to employ eligible 18 to 24-year-olds.
	In most cases the wage incentives element of the Youth Contract are paid after a young person has been in work continuously for 26 weeks. Following the collection and quality assurance of this data, the first set of Official Statistics on the wage incentive should be available from early 2013.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of new claims for jobseekers' allowance were submitted using the online delivery channel in each month from March 2012 to date.

Mark Hoban: The Department reports performance against the Business Plan ‘Proportion of new Jobseeker's Allowance claims submitted online indicator in the Annual Report and Accounts’.
	The Business Plan indicator is comprised of a single Jobseeker's Allowance measure which is the Business Case measure. There are however two measures of jobseeker's allowance available, the Business Case measure and the Management Information System Programme (MISP) measure.
	The following table shows the percentage of jobseeker's allowance claims made via the online channel from March 2012 to September 2012 based on both measures of jobseeker's allowance online performance.
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  Business c ase measure MISP measure 
			 March 2012 34.6 19.6 
			 April 2012 45.0 23.7 
			 May 2012 44.0 23.4 
			 June 2012 61.4 29.5 
		
	
	
		
			 July 2012 54.4 30.9 
			 August 2012 55.4 32.1 
			 September 2012 66.5 39.0

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department has received in relation to the work capability assessment in each month of (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date.

Mark Hoban: The DWP Medical Services Contracts Correspondence Team has received the following number of complaints in relation to the work capability assessment (WCA), in each of the year's requested:
	2010—correspondence not categorised to identify complaints by type
	2011—117 items of WCA correspondence
	2012 (to date)—147 items of WCA correspondence
	To provide a month by month response to this question would involve undertaking a detailed review of all the correspondence cases to ascertain the relevant month in which the complaint was lodged and exceed the disproportionate cost limit of £800 for parliamentary questions.
	All complaints received are taken seriously and are properly investigated prior to a response being issued.

Work Programme

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) prime contractors and (b) sub-contractors have voluntarily withdrawn from the Work programme since it began; and how many such contractors were charitable and voluntary organisations.

Mark Hoban: No prime contractors have withdrawn from the Work programme.
	The most recent published stock take information, which represented the supply chain as at 30 January 2012, showed 412 organisations from the voluntary and community sector involved as sub contractors, a net decrease of eight from the August 2011 return. Overall there was a slight net increase of seven in the total number of subcontractors. A further stocktake will be published shortly.